Iga - Steffi Similarities (?)

[RaulRamirez]

Yes, I'm a fan of Iga Swiatek, but no, I am not projecting that she will enjoy a career of the magnitude of Steffi Graf.
Their games aren't that much alike, either, although both are quite athletic, do great damage with the forehand (I'd take Steffi's FH, but Iga's BH) and have/had good, not great, serves. Iga's is still developing. Other similarities I see are that they both play at a quick pace, and are all-business on the court.
Both seem a bit introverted, so you don't get much on-court personality. I hope - over the years - that Iga will display just a little more personality while playing.

And off the court, both seem like very nice, down-to-earth people - Iga, in particular (by age 20 -- caring, bright) and Steffi has certainly grown into what seems like a poised, gracious, wonderful person.

 

[Kralingen]

Yes, both will benefit immensely from the retirement of their only worthy rival on tour during her prime.

 

[Mark-Touch]

Yes, both will benefit immensely from the retirement of their only worthy rival on tour during her prime.

Jeez, is that the best you could come up with?

 

[Deleted member 791948]

Yeah sadly for Iga, she lost both her meetings with Barty, in straight sets on clay 2021 and hardcourt 2022

 

[RaulRamirez]

Yes, both will benefit immensely from the retirement of their only worthy rival on tour during her prime.

Oy, I didn't think of that, and don't want to relive the Seles incident and (kind of) controversy.
Per Swiatek, as good as Barty is...was...I think that Iga has a lot more upside to her game.

 

[RaulRamirez]

Yeah sadly for Iga, she lost both her meetings with Barty, in straight sets on clay 2021 and hardcourt 2022

Yes, and...?

 

[TearTheRoofOff]

Jeez, is that the best you could come up with?

 

[Deleted member 791948]

Yes, and...?

That can be used against her, obviously, as Seles is used against Graf's legacy

 

[Kralingen]

Jeez, is that the best you could come up with?

Is not meant in a hating or harsh way

it’s just genuinely the first parallel that comes to mind, that there will be forever a “what if” hanging over their dominance due to their would-be main rival leaving tennis (though obviously Graf-Seles was far more established as a rivalry, and the circumstances behind each could not be more different)

 

[RaulRamirez]

That can be used against her, obviously, as Seles is used against Graf's legacy

Anything can be used, but really?
I'm not implying anything against Graf's legacy, but circumstances couldn't be much different.
Swiatek was still just 19 - (and she's still improving now) - when Barty decided to retire, and there's still a whole tour of good players out there.
Barty was not the dominant force that Seles was, either.

(This thread is going sideways, as nobody is commenting on the points I made in the OP - not that I'm shocked.)

 

[Arak]

Well, they’re both women, and they’re both tennis players. A lot of similarities.

 

[Russeljones]

Yes, both will benefit immensely from the retirement of their only worthy rival on tour during her prime.

Barty is like a speck of dust compared to Seles. Awful take.

 

[Kralingen]

Barty is like a speck of dust compared to Seles. Awful take.

I really didn’t mean it to cause offense lol, it’s just the first similarity that comes to mind. I mean it’s uncomfortable to talk about, but Barty’s retirement has directly given Swiatek a free run at what is a barren and homogenous WTA tour who all lack variety and play basically the same way. Graf/Seles is obviously far different especially age wise, but the exact same result happened with the stabbing, Graf’s main rival and only player on her level no longer played on tour.

Of course Graf didn’t vulture with anywhere near the opportunism that is made out by her destructors, she was past her physical peak already and then she got injured and was crapola in ‘94. But in both cases you have to ask “what if”, and in Swiatek’s situation it looks like there is no end in sight to her dominance.

 

[mike danny]

Is not meant in a hating or harsh way

it’s just genuinely the first parallel that comes to mind, that there will be forever a “what if” hanging over their dominance due to their would-be main rival leaving tennis (though obviously Graf-Seles was far more established as a rivalry, and the circumstances behind each could not be more different)

There's certainly a bigger asterisk around Graf's accomplishments than around any of the Big 3.

 

[RaulRamirez]

Injuries (okay, stabbing(s)), retirements and "asterisks" aside, the similarities I most see are quick pace of play, their on-court demeanor (all-business, very little outward emotion) and even off-court personality (not too comfortable in the public eye, perhaps, introverted, but thoughtful and gracious....one can already see this in Iga; it took me a while to see this in Steffi.) Both are very athletic and great movers. (Yes...not the same game...or circumstances, or fathers, etc.)

 

[Russeljones]

I really didn’t mean it to cause offense lol, it’s just the first similarity that comes to mind. I mean it’s uncomfortable to talk about, but Barty’s retirement has directly given Swiatek a free run at what is a barren and homogenous WTA tour who all lack variety and play basically the same way. Graf/Seles is obviously far different especially age wise, but the exact same result happened with the stabbing, Graf’s main rival and only player on her level no longer played on tour.

Of course Graf didn’t vulture with anywhere near the opportunism that is made out by her destructors, she was past her physical peak already and then she got injured and was crapola in ‘94. But in both cases you have to ask “what if”, and in Swiatek’s situation it looks like there is no end in sight to her dominance.

Barty will not have stood in Iga's way and I will always call that out as disingenuous. Barty never had the hunger and the two were on opposing development trajectories. One had plateaued while the other was on the up. Barty, like any recently retiring player, receives an inflated appreciation of her impact. I guess I am just annoyed that Iga is being seen as a benefactor. This takes away from a brilliant period of succ by a brilliant young player.

 

[RaulRamirez]

Barty will not have stood in Iga's way and I will always call that out as disingenuous. Barty never had the hunger and the two were on opposing development trajectories. One had plateaued while the other was on the up. Barty, like any recently retiring player, receives an inflated appreciation of her impact. I guess I am just annoyed that Iga is being seen as a benefactor. This takes away from a brilliant period of succ by a brilliant young player.

I certainly agree with you in the main. As a minor point - and this is all tangential to my OP - I don't know that Barty had plateaued, and I guess we'll never know if she would have found an even higher level. But my feeling is also that Swiatek is the bigger, better, more talented player. Time will tell as to what she will achieve, but as awesome as her tennis is now, she is still ascending.

One other thing is that so many on this forum seem to shorthand the tour into just a protagonist and perhaps, an antagonist - maybe two or three. These tours are not so simple, and even "weak eras' have lots of great players.

 

[aldeayeah]

a brilliant period of succ

 

[Russeljones]

Damn phone